Subscribe
First Sergeant Randall S. Parkes, Special Training Company, Support Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, presents his bachelor’s degree in business management during a degree recognition ceremony at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego Oct. 21, 2020. Marines who earned a degree while on active duty were recognized during a ceremony for their hard work and dedication to their education.
First Sergeant Parkes had no intentions of going to school, he only wanted to serve his country and embrace a new atmosphere. Parkes joined the Marine Corps at 18 years old after graduating from Perris High School, Perris, Calif. Nevertheless, six years into his service, he began earning a degree in business management. Parkes completed his degree in ten years while enrolled in online classes and serving in two combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. “I just did it going in between deployments, when I wasn’t in Afghanistan or Iraq, when I got home I would start back up again,” says Parkes. “I just do one class at a time.” Despite his busy schedule as a Drill Instructor he was able to complete six courses. Parkes would come home from work and spend time with his wife and two kids, ages 9 and 11, before tending to his school work. “I’d get home from work and play with them, entertain the kids, hang out with the wife, and put the kids to bed at around 7:30 or 8:00,” says Parkes. “Then I’d be up until about 10 or 11 every night trying to get my work done, and it’s pretty much the same now.”
He works hard to be a good role model for his kids by setting the example to become the first in his family to pursue a higher education. He continues to do so by working towards his master’s degree in Business Management. Parkes is currently enrolled in the University of Southern California, and is slated to graduate May of 2021.
“Education is everything, your ability to critically think, both in and out of the Marine Corps. Eventually all of us have to exit the
| Date Taken: | 10.21.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 10.22.2020 16:54 |
| Photo ID: | 6398878 |
| VIRIN: | 201021-M-CI314-1034 |
| Resolution: | 4924x3283 |
| Size: | 654.89 KB |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 871 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Degree Recognition Ceremony [Image 4 of 4], by Cpl Grace Kindred, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
